Is anybody familiar with Lama Ivo? He is a Bulgarian with a Nyingma background, who in some sense broke away from this tradition a few years ago when he received/created a cycle of treasure-texts. His center is located in Mexico:

There is little other information available about him on the internet, though I see from YouTube that he has translated for Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche (from English to Bulgarian) as recently as this year. The basic idea behind what he is doing--raising Tibetan Buddhist concepts from out of their Tibetan cultural background--reminds me of Aro gTer, though I realize there are probably important differences as well. I wonder if this sort of thing is the wave of the future.

I see nothing that rings alarm bells for me...but there are others who are more able to read the nuances..The drawing of a parallel with the Aro may be apt. Personally I do not share the concerns about that organisation that is the consensus on this forum.

Alfredo wrote:The basic idea behind what he is doing--raising Tibetan Buddhist concepts from out of their Tibetan cultural background--reminds me of Aro gTer, though I realize there are probably important differences as well. I wonder if this sort of thing is the wave of the future.

As they say “Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a habit”

/magnus

"To reject practice by saying, 'it is conceptual!' is the path of fools. A tendency of the inexperienced and something to be avoided."- Longchenpa

Alfredo wrote:Is anybody familiar with Lama Ivo? He is a Bulgarian with a Nyingma background, who in some sense broke away from this tradition a few years ago when he received/created a cycle of treasure-texts. His center is located in Mexico:

Ivo used to be on e-sangha under a few user names. He was also behind the Shechen Bulgaria website, which had a useful 'reading room' and the Nyingmaworld forum. I got chucked off his forum for disagreeing with their, as I saw it, rather odd moderation. Who knows?, he might be a terton. Good luck to him.

Alfredo wrote:Is anybody familiar with Lama Ivo? He is a Bulgarian with a Nyingma background, who in some sense broke away from this tradition a few years ago when he received/created a cycle of treasure-texts. His center is located in Mexico:

michaelb wrote:Ivo used to be on e-sangha under a few user names. He was also behind the Shechen Bulgaria website, which had a useful 'reading room' and the Nyingmaworld forum. I got chucked off his forum for disagreeing with their, as I saw it, rather odd moderation. Who knows?, he might be a terton. Good luck to him.

Wow, I just realized that it was this Ivo. We exchanged a number of emails for a time until nyingmaworld collapsed when Ivo and Yeshe Dorje had some problems with each other. He made a good impression on me at the time, seemed to be a very serious practitioner. He was rather hardcore, just like Yeshe Dorje. It wouldn't surprise if he reads this right now. What a remarkable and strange journey he been doing these last years. The Ivo I used to know would never have accepted it, if I remember correctly he thought Aroter was rubbish. Well, well...

/magnus

"To reject practice by saying, 'it is conceptual!' is the path of fools. A tendency of the inexperienced and something to be avoided."- Longchenpa

Lama Ivo....mmmmm think I'll stick with my own teachers thank you very much......this thing about Tibetans teaching the same old thing to us westerners..I don't get......I have received some profound teachings from my own teachers including Mingyur Rinpoche, Chokyi Nyima, Chokling and Phakchok Rinpoche.......it is said that in Tibet, very few would receive such teachings..most people would come along for an empowerment, bonk on the head and then home to continue reciting Mani mantras.....

"Interviewer: OK, thanks. Can I ask, what is your connection to Namkhai Norbu Ripoche?

Ivo: I hold Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche in very high regard. I have been to several of his retreats and followed many others on webcast with the group at my center, I think he is an amazingly brave and without any doubt very realized Dzogchen teacher. I admire him very highly. He is doing what almost none of the other Tibetan teachers dare to do. I have of course received all the transmissions he gives – what everyone else has also received. I think his Longsal teachings have a great future and are one of the most beneficial things which have happened on the planet lately.

Interviewer: Have you received transmissions in private from him?

Ivo: No. The other teachings I have mentioned so far – I did receive most of these transmissions in private, this is the way I have usually received transmissions. But I never had this kind of relationship with Norbu, although we exchange e-mails from time to time and he is actually one of the very few lamas who knows what happens with us.

Interviewer: You mean about the new cycles?

Ivo: Yes, about that too.

Interviewer: Does he give support?

Ivo: Of course not. None has been asked for, nor needed, and he should not give any, anyway. This would complicate things enormously. These new cycles have really no connection to the Tibetan tradition.

Interviewer: But strictly speaking, neither has his Longsal.

Ivo: [laughing] That’s true. But he is a Tibetan Rinpoche, and he can not escape that. He is stuck."

Alfredo wrote:Is anybody familiar with Lama Ivo? He is a Bulgarian with a Nyingma background, who in some sense broke away from this tradition a few years ago when he received/created a cycle of treasure-texts. His center is located in Mexico:

Ivo used to be on e-sangha under a few user names.

Who?

He was "geko". Didn't know he had other names. Interesting development...

Although many individuals in this age appear to be merely indulging their worldly desires, one does not have the capacity to judge them, so it is best to train in pure vision.- Shabkar

He was "geko". Didn't know he had other names. Interesting development...

Yes, Geko. I had forgotten that. He once accidentally PMed me with another one of his accounts, though I can't remember the username. Wasn't he banned from E-Sangha after arguments with ChNN's students got out of hand? I don't remember myself, but just found an old email that mentions it. Do tertons contravene E-Sangha TOS? Maybe.

Not at all, Alfredo. I'm personally of the opinion that internet forums such as this serve the purpose of providing information on lamas so that people looking for a lama can make an informed decision. Investigating a lama is very important and searching for information online is a good start. In the past Tibetans didn't have the internet but gossip and scandal about lamas was spread widely. If all we have are the glowing reports on teachers' own websites we are doing little more that stumbling in the dark.

I know it doesn't always work here because people may be afraid of litigation, but if anyone has pertinent information about a particular teacher it is good to share it. In my opinion, committing yourself to a bad teacher is more dangerous than avoiding a good teacher that you are are not sure about.